Sleeping like a baby—that is, deeply, feeling calm, and without having to worry about anything: we all wish for that. Nothing is more pleasant than waking up naturally, without being disturbed by outside noise, overly bright light, or an unsuitable temperature. Getting a restorative night’s sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being. Indeed, quality sleep not only allows us to recharge our batteries, but also improves our memory, reduces stress, and enhances our ability to retain information. Because learning is a core value at Seven, we know how important it is to sleep well in order to stay fit and focused throughout the day, or at least most of it. That is why we pay close attention to ways of optimizing sleep. In this article, we will explain how sleep works and share the best tips to make the most of your sleep and create a supportive environment. Whether you have trouble falling asleep or want to improve the quality of your sleep, the practical advice we share will, we hope, help you enjoy peaceful and restorative nights.

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How does your sleep work?

An activity based on a circadian rhythm …

Most often, humans are awake during the day and prefer to sleep at night. We are what is called a “diurnal species,” meaning our most intense period of activity takes place during the day and our least active period occurs at night. Does this mean that the environment (light, temperature, schedule) explains why we fall asleep or wake up at certain times of day? Not exactly. In reality, it is how our body functions and what it produces that causes our sleep or wake phases.

Humans actually follow a circadian cycle that repeats every 24 hours. In 1938, an American physiologist named Nathaniel Kleitman and his assistant Bruce Richardson sought to verify whether humans were capable of basing themselves on a cycle other than 24 hours. They locked themselves for 32 days in a cave in Kentucky, 42 meters underground. This place had no natural light, and the ambient temperature was always 11°C. These researchers then followed a specific protocol to shift from a 24-hour rhythm to a new 48-hour rhythm.

Other similar experiments were later carried out, notably with the speleologist Michel Siffre, who isolated himself alone 100 meters underground, in the Scarasson chasm, for 60 days. When he was told his experiment had ended, he observed a clear difference between the real date and the one he had in mind. While he believed it was August 20, 1962 when his experiment ended, the actual date was September 14, a 58-day delay. A friend of his, Antoine Senni, went even further by cutting himself off from everything for 122 days, switching from 24-hour cycles to 48-hour cycles.

After these experiments and others that followed, research showed that the biological circadian rhythm is very close to 24 hours. In the absence of time markers (no changes in light, no temperature variation, no awareness of schedules, etc.) over a short period, a spontaneous rhythm of 25 to 24.5 hours sets in, thus demonstrating the presence of an internal clock. But when there are no time markers over a long period (as experienced by N. Kleitman, B. Richardson, M. Siffre, A. Senni), wake/sleep rhythm anomalies occur, which can lead to cycles lasting up to 60 hours and others as short as 12 hours.

It is unlikely that you will need to conduct such experiments, because in your daily life, you generally have temporal markers that help you synchronize your circadian rhythm. However, a major change, such as night work, significant jet lag, or prolonged sleep deprivation, can affect your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep cycle.

… which follows different sleep phases

Sleep is a complex process that takes place in three distinct phases:

• Light slow-wave sleep or stage N1: During this phase, our breathing slows down, our muscles relax, and we begin the transition from wakefulness to sleep. We are more sensitive to light, noise, and movement, and we can easily wake up or move in bed. This phase accounts for about 50% of our sleep time.

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• Deep slow-wave sleep or stage N2: This is the phase during which we get restorative and regenerative sleep. We are less reactive to external stimuli, and our body regenerates by secreting important hormones, such as growth hormones in children. This phase accounts for about 20% to 25% of our sleep time and is essential for recovery.

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• REM sleep or stage N3: Here, our brain activity is very intense and we dream. It is a crucial moment for memory consolidation. During this period, we simultaneously display signs of light sleep and deep sleep.

We go through these three phases several times during the night, and each cycle lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours. In general, adults have between 3 and 5 sleep cycles per night. Understanding the different sleep phases and their importance can help improve the quality of our sleep and optimize our physical and mental recovery.

How can you create a comfortable sleep space?

13.1% of the French population suffers from chronic insomnia, more than a third of French people (35.9% to be exact) sleep less than 6 hours per day, and we sleep an average of 6.55 hours according to a Santé Publique France study. Many of us want to optimize our sleep and are aware of the positive effects of a restorative night’s sleep: we feel more rested, serene, alert, focused for the day, in a good mood, and more inclined to learn.

It is important to note that each of us is different, with unique sleep needs. Although adults are recommended to sleep 7 to 9 hours per night, some people feel perfectly rested after only a few hours of sleep, while others may feel tired after 10 hours of sleep. Therefore, the following recommendations are simply suggestions to improve your sleep. You should choose the ones that best suit your lifestyle.

Dare to change your habits

Before considering any changes, it is important to take the time to reflect on your relationship with sleep. Ask yourself questions about your end-of-day rituals: do you practice activities that soothe you and promote sleep? Can you fall asleep easily? Do you feel good before going to bed? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you tired when you wake up? Do you feel fresh and ready in the morning? If you answer yes to all these questions, that’s great. If you answer yes to only some of them, think about the times when your sleep is restorative and identify the changes you can make to improve your situation and finally sleep like a baby!

You may need to change your established habits, adopt new behaviors, and prioritize the activities that really matter to you. This can be frightening because it means stepping into the unknown, but by defining positive actions to put in place, you can prepare yourself and approach them proactively. To better accept change, it is important to adopt a positive attitude and focus on the benefits it can bring. A change will be easier to accept and implement if it is initiated by you and you are committed to the process.

Make every day an important day

Do you have a Seven training session scheduled for tomorrow? If so, it is essential that you get a good night’s sleep to be fit, focused, and 100% involved. But even when you don’t have an important day planned, it is still wise to take steps to optimize your sleep.

Imagine that every next day is an important day for you. By doing this exercise, you will be more inclined to make certain efforts to improve your sleep. For example, you could prepare a light meal, go to bed earlier than usual, and think positive thoughts. Think about an important presentation to a client or the completion of a project you have been working on for a long time. By projecting yourself into the future, you will be more motivated to adopt new sleep habits.

Eat dinner wisely for quality sleep

The food you consume at the end of the day has an impact on your ability to fall asleep and on the quality of your sleep. It is therefore important to pay attention to your diet. You can look at people around you and notice that some eat meat three times a week, while others plan a burger night every Friday evening, and still others include a protein and several vegetables in each of their meals.

To sleep better, certain dietary habits are recommended, such as preparing a light meal, eating vegetables, and having your meal two to three hours before going to bed. Conversely, certain foods and drinks should be avoided, such as processed products, fatty foods like butter, chips, cured sausage, and heavy cream, but also spicy dishes that can cause hot flashes and heartburn, as well as red meats that take a long time to digest, and legumes that are also slow to digest, eggplant too, which contains nicotine, alcohol, which can cause inflammation of the digestive system, and items containing caffeine such as coffee, tea, chocolate, etc.

This is not about following these dietary recommendations to the letter, but about asking yourself what works best for you. If you have already noticed that you fall asleep quickly and sleep well after eating or drinking certain things, you could try including them in your diet regularly.

Reduce your exposure to artificial light

The ambient brightness you experience before sleeping can affect your ability to fall asleep quickly and deeply. Studies have shown that reducing brightness can stimulate the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. By creating a darker environment, you prepare your body for falling asleep.

Screens such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and televisions emit blue light that is not conducive to relaxation and can disrupt your sleep. Increased screen use over the years is one of the reasons why people have more and more difficulty sleeping. Experts recommend staying away from screens for at least one hour before bedtime to promote sleep. Try reducing your screen exposure for a few days or a few weeks and observe the positive effects on your sleep.

Find serenity before falling asleep with a relaxing activity

Practicing intense physical activity in the 2 hours before bedtime could increase your sleep-onset latency. To promote a restorative night’s sleep, choose relaxing activities instead that help relax your muscles and breathe deeply. Reading, drawing, writing, meditation, and spending time with loved ones are soothing. You can also recall positive events from the day, such as a kind message received, congratulations from your manager, successfully making a new recipe, or completing a project you are proud of. By adopting a positive attitude, you will reduce your stress level and be more likely to fall asleep easily. Try these methods for a few days or weeks to observe the results on your sleep, taking your lifestyle and constraints into account.

Practice self-discipline

The will to act is not enough; it is also essential to show self-discipline in applying the actions described above. Just like a morning routine can help you be more productive throughout the day, discipline before bedtime can contribute to better-quality sleep. If you have noticed improvements by applying these recommendations, it is important to continue following them over the long term and commit to maintaining a set of actions to ensure you enjoy restorative nights of sleep.

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Quality sleep is essential for our well-being and health. It is therefore important to understand how our circadian rhythm works, as it regulates our sleep-wake cycle. To get the most out of our sleep and optimize it, it is necessary to adopt good habits before bedtime. This can include actions such as limiting the consumption of stimulating foods and drinks, dimming lights and reducing screen use, as well as practicing relaxing activities to help calm the mind and body. However, it can be difficult to change our sleep habits and self-discipline in order to maintain them over time. Everyone must find the actions that work best for them and strive to integrate them into their evening routine. In the end, the effort is worth it to enjoy the benefits of quality sleep, such as energy, good mood, and memory retention.